Air-cleaning device for internal-combustion engines



I A. T SHIRT AND C. 1. WHITACHE AIR CLEANING DEVICE FOR INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINES;

APPLICATION mp0 JULY 22,1920.

1,406,299. I Patehted Feb. 14, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SiHEET I, v

, i figf g FATE ALFRED '1. STURT, or new YORK, n. Y., AND CLARENCE :r.wrrrraonn, or amiss- VILLE, WISCONSIN, assienon's'ro GENERAL MoronsCORPORATION, or narrow, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

AIR-CLEANING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

iaoaeee.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb, 14, 1922.

Application filed July 22, 1920. Serial No. 398,231.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ALFRED T. STURT andCLARENCE'J. WVHrrAonE, both citizens of the United States, and residentsof New York, county of New York, and State of New York, and Janesville,county of Rock, and State of Visconsin, respectively, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in i-\irCleaning Devices for'Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a full, clear,concise, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which the invention relates to make and use the same,reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this specification.

Our invention relates to air cleaning devices designed for use inconnection with internal combustion engines to remove foreign particlesfrom the air which helps to form the combustible mixture used therein,such devices being used particularly in connection with tractors whichhave to operate in an atmosphere more or less charged with dust and thepurpose thereof being to remove thedust and like foreign particles fromthe air before it'enters the carbureter and mixes with the liquid fuelto form a combustible mixture.

The principal object of our invention is to provide an improved aircleaning device of the class and for the purpose above stated which willefiectively remove dust and other solid particles from the air, andwhich at the same time will be self-cleaning so that the same when inuse will require little or no attention in order to keep the device inproper operative condition.

A further object. of our invention is to provide an improved aircleaning device of the type above referred to which will be simple inconstruction, and of a form such that it may be easily manufactured,thereby providing an aircleanmg device which may be manufactured at aminimum of expense.

The preferred form of our improved air cleaning device is illustrated inthe two sheets of drawings which accompany and form a part of thisspecification although the device illustrated may be modified in variousways without departing from our invention, the particular features ofwhich are enumerated in the concluding claims.

Referring now to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view showing an internal combustion engine in sideelevation, the same being equipped with an air cleaning device made inaccordance with our invention.

Figure 2 is a view showing the elements of our improved air cleaningdevice in section, and. upon a substantially vertical plane, the fabricair straining member of the cleaner being shown in the position itassumes when the engine is in operation.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the position whichthe fabric air straining member assumes when the engine is at rest, thisview showing also a guard for protecting the air straining member frominjury.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing a section upon aplane transverse to theplane upon which .the sections appearing inFigures 2 and 3 are taken, the form of our invention illustrated beingone in which the body or casing of the device is oblong in form withrounded ends.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the device in plan,and broken away in part.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the construction, ofthe lower endof the casing of the cleaner, and the manner in which thefabric air cleaning device and the guard are secured thereto.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view upon a horizontal plane illustrating forthe most partcertain features of the guard member of the device.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view taken upon a vertical plane indicated bythe line 8 8, Figure 7 Figure 9 is a fragmentary view showing theholding means whereby the fabric cleaning member is fastened to thecasing of the cleaner.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 11 designates aninternal combustion engine which may be of any kind or type, and 12 acarbureter which likewise maybe of any type and the purpose of which isto form a combustible mixture for use in the engine.

The reference numeral 13 designates our improved air cleaning device asa whole, the same being supported from lugs 14: carried,

by the engine and preferably located upon the side of the crankcasethereof as best shown in Figure 1 by the use of brackets 15; thesaidbrackets being secured as by means of rivetsfllG to the casing orhousing 17 of the air cleaning device and, which housing providesahollow shell or casing having a opening in one side thereof, the

shell or casing illustrated being one in whichthe entire lower end isopen. The brackets 15 are shown as secured to the lugs 14 by means ofbolts 33 and nuts 34, see Figure 5, in the form of our inventionillustrated.

Secured at the lower end of the shell or casing 17 is a fabric airstraining member 18, which member extends across the open lower end ofthe casing and is of substantially greater area than the said lower end;so that the straining member being loose as regards the opening acrosswhich it extends will be drawn up into the casing due to the suctionaction of the engine when the engine is in operation, and will fall intoa position below the plane of the said lower end as shown in Figure 3when the engine is at rest. This fabric air straining member 125 maybemade of any suitable material so long as it is sufiiciently flexible tooperate in the manner above pointed out and so long as the material inquestion is one suitable for the purpose of intercepting the dust andother solid particles which may be entrained in-the entering stream ofair such, for example, as the fabrics in common use in connection withvacuum sweeping or cleaning machines; and we have found such fabrics asare commonly usedwith cleaning devices of the type mentioned effectiveas the fabric air straining member of our improved air cleaning device.

The periphery of the air cleaning member 18 is secured to the lower endof the shell or casing 17 in any suitable manner, and pref erably insuch a way as to be removable therefrom and replaceable relative theretowithout difficulty. tion illustrated the lower edge of the casing isturned inward to provide a peripherally extending head 19 having asmooth curved external surface, and a similar peripherally extendinggroove 20 is provided in the wall of the casing just above the head 19.Both these elements or features of construction may be formed by the useof suitable rolls operating upon the comparatively thin sheet metal wallof the casing, the purpose of the head 19 being to avoid the presence ofsharp edges at the lower end of the casing which might injure the airstraining member as it is drawn into the casing as shown in Figure 1 2,and forced therefrom as shown in Figure 3; and the purpose of the groove20 being to provide for the clamping of the periphery of the fabric aircleaning member in the said groove and to the lower end of the out, itbeing appreciated that operate the re In the form of our invencasing bymeans of a suitable holding member extending along said groove such, forexample, as a spring 21 of such length that when it is inplace withinthe groove in the manner illustrated in the drawings the tension of thesaid spring will be sufficient to prevent the periphery of the aircleaning member from slipping out of the groove 20 when the device is inuse.

As hereinbefore stated, the shell or casing 17 is preferably oblong inform with rounded ends or, more strictly speaking, oval or elliptical incrosssection, see Figure 5, although the shape of the casing is ofsecondary importance and may be varied within wide limits withoutdeparting from our invention. The upper end of the said shell or casingis closed as by a cover 22 which preferably tapers upwardly as shown,and the said cover is provided with an outlet opening 23 and with anelbow 24 at its central portion, which elbow communicates with a pieceof flexible or other tubing 25 which leads to the air inlet of thecarbureter 12; the opening, the elbow and the tubing forming an airoutlet conduit from the 1n terior of the air cleaning device and an2111' inlet conduit for the carbureter.

The fabric air cleaning member 18 is shown in the position which itoccupies when the engine is at rest in Figure 3 of the drawing. When,however, the engine starts to notion of pressure along the air inletcont t and within the casing 17 will drawthe straining member upward andinto the interior of the casing, member is of materially the open end ofthe casing across which'it extends and hangs loosely beneath said openend as hereinbefore explained. V The said straining member will remainin'the posi-,

tion in which it is shown in Figure 2 as long as the engine continues inoperation, during which the air passes through the said material andsuch solid particles as may be entrained therein are strained outtherefrom and held upon the exterior surface of'the air strainingmember. a

When the engine ceases to operate, however, the air straining memberwill fall into the position in which it is shown in Figure 3, due to thecessation of the suction, during which movement the strainingmember isin a sense turned inside out and the layer of dust or other solid matterwhich may have accumulated upon the exterior surface thereof is brokenup and falls from the said surface; the action being analogous in asense to a shaking off the layer of dust and other solid particles whichaccumulated upon the outer surface of the said member while the enginewas in operation. The fabric air cleaning member isthereforeself-cleaning because of the construction above-pointed the accumuas thesaid, greater area than' which reason we preferably provide a guard forthe said member, as shown in the drawings. This guard may be of variousforms and constructions; although we prefer to employ a wire mesh guardas the same is light in weight, sufficiently strong for the purpose forwhich it is provided, and at the same time offers no appreciableobstruction of the flow of air to the air straining member. Such a guardis designated by the reference numeral 26; the same being shown as madeup of two symmetrical parts of such form as to fit about the peripheryof the lower end of the chamber 17, the said parts being securedtogether by means of bolts 27 and wing nuts 28; which bolts pass throughregistering eyes 29- formed at the ends of upper and lower supportingframe members 30 between which the wire mesh structure of the guardextends, the said structure being designated by the reference numeral31. The two parts which form the guard in question are thus heldtogether at both their upper and lower ends, and the upper and lowermembers 30 provide a rigid frame-work for supporting the interveningmesh portion 31 which is made of materially lighter wire.

The guard device as a whole is supported from the lower end of the shellor casing 17 by a projecting ridge 32 formed in the wall of the chamberby means of suitable rolls and above which ridge the upper of the framemembers 30 of the guard lies when the guard is in place, as best shownin Figures 6, 7 and S of the drawings.

It will be appreciated that the guard as a whole may be readily removedfrom the casin b' unscrewin the wine nuts 28,

whereupon the fabric air straining member 18 may be removed from thecasing if and when it becomes necessary to do so.

which, however, will be but seldom, as the said member is subjected tolittle wear when in use and will need to be replaced only .at longintervals; while the same is effectively protected from injury byexternal objects by the guard member as above pointed out.

Having thus described and explained our invention, we claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an air cleaning device of the class described, a hollow shell orcasing having an open lower end; an outlet conduit leading from saidcasing; a fabric straining member extending across the open end of saidcasing and of greater area than said open end, so that said member isloose relative to said open end and is free to rise into said casingupon a reduction of pressure therein; meansfor securing the edge of saidfabric straining member about the open lower end aforesaid; and a wireguard member supported from said casing and depending below the openlower end thereof.

2. In an air cleaning device of the class described, a hollow shell orcasing having an inturned roundedbead at its lower end, and aperipherally extending exterior groove located adjacent and above saidbead; an outlet conduit leading from said casing; a fabric strainingmember extending loosely across said open lower end and the periphery ofwhich is secured in place in the groove aforesaid, and which member isfree to rise into said casing upon a reduction of pressure therein; anda guard member extending about the open lower end of and secured to saidcasing, and depending below the said lower end.

3. In an air cleaning deviceof the class described, a hollow shell orcasing having an open lower end, and a peripherally extend- 1ng exteriorgroove located adjacent. said lower end; an outlet conduit leading fromsaid casing; a fabric straining member extending across the open end ofsaid casing and of greater area than said open end, so

that said member is loose relative to said lower end and is free to riseinto said casand a coil spring lying within said groove and adapted tohold the periphery of said fabric straining member in place therein.

4. In an air cleaning device of the class described, a hollow shell orcasing having an open lower end; an outlet conduit leading from saidcasing; a fabric straining member extending across the open end of saidcasing and of greater area than said open end, so that said member isloose relative to said open-end and is free to rise into said casingupon a reduction of pressure therein; means for securing the edge ofsaid fabric straining member about the open lower end aforesaid; and aguard member extending about and depending below the open lower end ofsaid casing.

55. In an air cleaning device of the class described,an imperforatedownwardly opening hollow shell or casing having an open lower end; anoutlet conduit leading from mg upon a reduction of pressure therein;

paratively large area; a fabric straining member of greater area thanand extending across said air inlet opening and loose relative thereto,so that substantially the Whole thereof is free to move into and out ofsaid casing upon variation of pressure therein;

and means for securing said straining member to said casing about theperiphery of the opening aforesaid. v i

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures. v

ALFRED T. STURT.

o.- J. WHITACRE.

